ULEZ camera crime reports on the rise

Camera equipment used to monitor vehicles travelling in and out of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in London are being targeted by vandals. As the expansion date looms, motorists appear to be taking the law into their own hands in protest. 

Reports in the news bring to light that cameras across the capital have been purposely tampered with and damaged - some even being reported as being removed altogether. We’ve certainly seen several cameras within the London boroughs of Bromley and Sutton that have become the target of anti-ULEZ crime. 

Our investigation comes as reports of ULEZ camera vandalisation poses a potential problem for the authorities as the government prepares to extend the current zone. Read on to find out more… 

What is ULEZ?

ULEZ (short for Ultra Low Emission Zone) is a London-based scheme aimed at reducing the number of heavily polluting vehicles from entering the city, in order to help clean up the capital’s toxic air. Drivers of vehicles that don’t meet strict emission standards must pay a fee to enter the zone or risk being fined.

As of Tuesday 29th August 2023, ULEZ will expand across all 33 boroughs of London in a move set to affect many more drivers who live and work in the capital. The Mayor’s decision to increase the perimeter to areas bordering the M25, has been met with opposition from many local councils and business owners.

What makes a vehicle ULEZ compliant?

Most petrol vehicles aged under 16-years-old and diesel vehicles aged under 6-years-old are already ULEZ compliant. Because the scheme only affects the most polluting cars and vans, any petrol vehicle meeting Euro 4 standards or any diesel vehicles meeting Euro 6 standards are likely to be exempt. 

You can check to see if your vehicle is compliant with ULEZ by using the vehicle checker tool on the Transport for London website.  

How is ULEZ being monitored?

While it could be assumed that it’s easy to avoid paying the fee to enter ULEZ, the reality is quite different. Currently, the zone is monitored by a vast network of ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) cameras across London.

Because there are no physical barriers or toll booths when entering the zone, cameras are in place to identify vehicles travelling in and out of the area. ULEZ operates 24-hours a day every day of the year except Christmas Day.

There are already thousands of cameras in operation that border the zone and it is expected that another 300 cameras will be installed ahead of the planned expansion. Drivers are alerted when approaching ULEZ by advance information signs that indicate the distance to the zone, as well as signage highlighting alternative non-ULEZ routes.

When entering the zone, bold green signs will alert motorists and bold blue signage makes it known that cameras are in operation.    

Why are ULEZ cameras being vandalised? 

It’s no secret that the planned expansion of ULEZ has been faced with much controversy since it was announced in November 2022. With the due date of the scheme’s expansion set to be implemented from the 29th August 2023, tensions in London boroughs have been mounting. 

Expansion plans mean that Greater London in its entirety - which comprises 33 different boroughs (including the City of London) - will be a controlled ULEZ zone. For a driver to enter the zone in a non-compliant vehicle, the individual is charged a flat fee of £12.50 per day.

The daily charge could cost a motorist around £375 per month, which amounts to a staggering £4,500 per year. With ever increasing bill prices and the cost of living crisis in full swing, it’s little wonder that people have taken the law into their own hands. Many residents and business owners don’t have the finances available to invest in a low or zero emission vehicle that would result in them forgoing the daily fee.

It seems that the majority of equipment being targeted are the newly installed cameras in preparation of the ULEZ expansion. Reports show that damage is being caused in a number of ways, including cut cables, defaced camera lenses, and even units that have been removed entirely are just some of the issues London police are facing. 

Designed to monitor vehicles via number plate recognition technology, the cameras have been the target of frustration for saboteurs before they are even switched on. It is expected that Transport for London (TfL) will install almost 3,000 more cameras in preparation for ULEZ’s expansion. The cost of this is expected to reach around £45 million in order to facilitate fully monitoring the London-wide zone. 

Some activists have even chosen to cover the ANPR cameras with cardboard boxes or supermarket bags instead. Damage has widely been reported to the newly installed ULEZ cameras in the Abbey Wood region of Greenwich.        

ULEZ cameras damaged in South London 

Residents in boroughs on the fringes of Greater London are already seeing ULEZ cameras being installed on their doorstep, including Sutton which is over an hour away from central London by car.

Bromley Council is part of the coalition against ULEZ and is appalled at the implementation of ANPR cameras and accompanying signage in what it describes as “by stealth” in the outer London boroughs. The council’s tweet shared on March 30th explains more:

Ian Francombe, Octane's Sales Director lives just within the border of the ULEZ zone in Orpington. Here's his take on Sadiq Khan's expansion plans:

“I've lived in the areas of Orpington and Sevenoaks all of my life; we don't suffer with particularly heavy congestion here, and many of the locals rely on their cars as the public transport isn't great when you head out to Orpington's rural borders.

“Additionally, for some of the residents with older cars, this will mean them potentially doing their weekly shopping in Sevenoaks rather than Orpington - the knock-on effect being many small businesses will suffer with a loss of trade as a result.

“Both Orpington and Dartford's MP's are against the plans, however Mayor Khan seems hell-bent on raising funds for London by taxing the very people who are the most vulnerable and who are already facing a cost of living crisis.

“We're also seeing the values of non-ULEZ cars decreasing more quickly as they become undesirable from a resale perspective - and we're not talking about old bangers here - there are certain mainstream models such as the 2015 Volkswagen Passat 2.0 diesel model, which aren’t ULEZ compliant.”

A photo shared on social media (image below - courtesy of Piotr Michalski) shows that a ULEZ camera positioned on top of a traffic light in West Sutton had its connecting wire cut to prevent it from being used. With images such as these circulating the internet and being shared in online forums across the city, the recent spate of ULEZ camera crime could inspire others to take similar action.

Some individuals have taken to Twitter to mock the recent spate of ULEZ camera vandalism. User David Todd commented: “ULEZ cameras are going to need security cameras pointed at them to stop them being stolen in protest. But what if the security cameras are also pinched?”

Others have expressed their disappointment at the installation of cameras in anti-ULEZ boroughs. User Lois Hyett shared her photo of an ANPR camera positioned on traffic lights in Bromley and said: “This is a ULEZ camera installed in Bromley at traffic lights junction of Masons hill. TfL totally fleecing Londoners #khannage.” 

But anti-ULEZ councils in London representing boroughs such as Bexley, Bromley and Croydon have been accused of doing the least to support their constituents switching to an electric vehicle. 

Supporting his decision to expand the zone, Mayor Khan launched what’s being dubbed as the ‘biggest ever scrappage scheme’ worth a hefty £110 million. The scheme is aimed at small businesses, sole traders, charities, and Londoners on lower incomes or those registered as disabled.

What is being done about ULEZ camera crime?

Anti-ULEZ protestors who resort to vandalising ANPR cameras have been issued a stark warning by London Mayor Sadiq Khan. In a video shared by the Evening Standard, Mayor Khan expressed, “Vandalising ULEZ cameras or vandalising TfL (Transport for London) property is not acceptable - it’s a criminal offence - and not unreasonably nor unsurprisingly, the police and TfL take it very seriously.”

Anyone caught tampering with a camera installed for London-wide ULEZ purposes could be charged for criminal damage. People have taken to the social media video platform TikTok to share footage of destroyed cameras, while online news platform MyLondon reported that London residents have been celebrating after ANPR cameras installed on traffic lights in Greenwich had been forcefully removed. 

Mayor Khan claims that individuals with what he describes as “legitimate objections” to the ULEZ expansion, have been teaming up with members of “far-right groups” to purposely cause criminal damage to ULEZ cameras. His comments at a People’s Question Time event have created backlash and seen him face criticism from those with legitimate concerns about the impact of the zone extension. 

The Home Office has also announced that it takes vandalism of ULEZ cameras and TfL property extremely seriously, and anyone caught in the act could be jailed for up to 10 years. Reports suggest that police have a number of individuals under surveillance whom they suspect are carrying out the attacks on government equipment.

Vandalism of ULEZ cameras means that TfL has resorted to regular maintenance of newly installed equipment in order to remove any obstructions present, as well as repair the damage caused.   

Is there evidence to show that ULEZ is working?

Greater London Authority has released data to demonstrate how ULEZ and its initial expansion of the zone is already making a difference. In October 2021 the ULEZ area was increased from central London to the North and South circular roads (classed as inner London). 

The report shows that during a 12-month period, dangerous nitrogen dioxide levels have reduced by 46% in central London and reduced by 21% in inner London, resulting in improved air quality.

These statistics further fuel Mayor Khan’s claims that London’s ULEZ is making a vital dent in the city’s air pollution problems. In an interview on BBC Breakfast back in February, the mayor of London was clear in defending his ULEZ expansion plans by stating, “we can’t kick the can down the road when it comes to improving the quality of our air.”       

TfL claims that its data shows 90% of cars (that’s 9 in 10 cars on the road) driving in the outer fringes of London on any given day now meet the required ULEZ standards. These statistics strengthen the campaign led by the Mayor of London in his aim to make the air more breathable for all city dwellers. It’s a campaign he regularly promotes on his Twitter account @MayorofLondon with the aim for motorists to switch to greener alternatives. 

Read our dedicated blog for further details about ULEZ expansion plans across London and if you’re set to be affected by the changes, discover if you’re eligible for the 2023 London ULEZ scrappage scheme.